Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan Sign Historic Joint Defense Agreement Amid Regional Tensions

The Mecca Joint Defense Agreement signed in Mecca between Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan is being hailed as a historic step. The three countries have declared that an attack on one would be considered an attack on all three and they would retaliate jointly. This alliance of Turkey, which has the second largest army in NATO, Saudi Arabia, the custodian of oil wealth and holy sites, and Pakistan, the only Muslim country with a nuclear power, looks impressive on paper. It is being described as a move to strengthen the Sunni Muslim axis amid regional tensions, especially the crisis involving Iran. But the reality is that this agreement will rarely succeed. There is little doubt that it will go beyond symbolic rhetoric. The biggest reason is the conflicting national interests of the three countries. Turkey's ambition is to revive the Ottoman legacy, to increase influence in Syria, Libya, and the Caucasus. Saudi Arabia's focus is on Gulf security, oil exports, and Iran's security umbrella. It is dependent on the security of Turkey or Greece, and of course, on India's internal security interests.